Bleyendaal backed to step up for Saracens if Carbery fitness fails

Munster boss Johann van Graan has backed Tyler Bleyendaal to step up to the challenge of facing Saracens in Europe in 11 days if his downbeat assessment of Joey Carbery’s fitness proves correct.

The Munster head coach yesterday rated Carbery “highly unlikely” to overcome his hamstring injury for the province’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on April 20.